Poker Night
by thespin
Summary: Zion can get pretty boring sometimes.


TITLE: Poker Night   
  
AUTHOR: spin  
  
RATING: PG-13  
  
DISCLAIMER: not mine..ever  
  
A/N: This is pure stupidity, but not a parody. It was gonna be Hardline-exclusive, but I was bored out of my mind so I decided to post it here.  
  
POKER NIGHT  
  
"Poker? I don't even know her!"  
  
*******************************************   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
They were enjoying helping each other change out of the clothes they'd been repairing the Neb in all day. They'd lost a hover pad the last time they'd had to use the EMP...the ship hadn't been completely powered off the time they had to use it....the squids had flown in too quickly, so they'd fried some circuits that were still hot. Luckily they'd gotten all the Sentinels in the blast, so the damage to the Neb wasn't nearly as bad as it had been in the past.   
  
  
  
  
  
Neo was pressing wet kisses along the base of her neck as he fumbled with the bottom of her shirt, while she did her best to unfasten his pants without being able to see the clasp.   
  
  
  
  
  
Her fingers brushed against him, and he groaned as she managed to get his pants down over his hips. "Do we have time?" His voice was low and rough.   
  
  
  
  
  
She grunted into his neck. "Ghost is supposed to be here in ten minutes."   
  
  
  
  
  
"Shit."   
  
  
  
  
  
Her fingers played over his spine, and she tilted her head to kiss the soft skin underneath his chin.   
  
  
  
  
  
He smiled down at her messy hair. "Can't we skip dinner...just this once?"   
  
  
  
  
  
She frowned against his skin. "We skipped dinner shift on the Neb last week. And the week before."   
  
  
  
  
  
Neo sighed and cupped her chin, bringing her head up from his shoulder.   
  
  
  
  
  
"So we have to go?"   
  
  
  
  
  
"Yes."   
  
  
  
  
  
They stood together for a long, quiet moment. "Neither of us are going," Neo mumured softly.   
  
  
  
  
  
Trinity pulled his mouth down to hers.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Ghost moved slowly along the metal grating that served as Zion's hallways, his hand trailing along the railing. He was a few minutes late, as his meditation had lasted longer than expected, but he was hoped Trinity wouldn't mind. Once she might have been irritated, but now that the chronically late Neo had entered her life, she was slightly more tolerant.   
  
  
  
  
  
Only slightly.   
  
  
  
  
  
He reached Trinity's door, and knocked lightly. He heard a a muffled "Fuck," and the sound of rather frantic scrabbling. He knocked a little louder, and Trinity opened the door, looking completely composed. Her hair was a mess, but then again it usually was. She had more important things to take of than her hair.   
  
  
  
  
  
"Hello Ghost;" she said smoothly. "Come in. We'll be ready in a minute." she opened the door wider, revealing Neo. His clothes were askew, his hair was tousled, and he was blushing furiously.   
  
  
  
  
  
Ghost simply sighed to himself.   
  
  
  
  
  
Trinity pulled on her boots, and opened the door again. "Let's go."   
  
**********************  
  
  
  
  
  
The three of them sat down together in the far corner of the mess hall. Neo poked at his goop uncomfortably while Ghost and Trinity quietly discussed fleet happenings, and the events of the last council meeting. He liked Ghost well enough, but he just didn't know him enough to feel at home with the guy. Besides, he wasn't much for small talk anyway. He'd much rather be back in bed. With Trinity.   
  
  
  
  
  
A petite blond woman scurried over to their table. Ghost and Trinity looked up, and Trinity nodded her hello.   
  
  
  
  
  
"Maggie," Ghost said formaly, inclining his head.   
  
  
  
  
  
She plopped down next to Ghost, and picked up his fork, twirling it. "You all coming tonight?"   
  
  
  
  
  
Trinity quirked an eyebrow, and glanced at Neo. "Coming where?"   
  
  
  
  
  
Ghost shook his head, smiling a little. "I don't think so."   
  
  
  
  
  
Maggie grinned widely at Trinity. "Poker Night. Sparks's place. YOU should definitely be there. I'm tired of being the only woman there when I'm docked."   
  
  
  
  
  
Trinity was quiet, and looked at Neo out of the corner of her eye. He concentrated hard, trying to message her telepathically. "NO TRINITY! NO PLEASE NO!"   
  
  
  
  
  
She turned back to Maggie, and nodded. "Alright. I'll be late..I have a meeting with with the ship techs, but I can be there later. Neo can go straight there with you."   
  
  
  
  
  
Neo's shoulders slumped visibly.   
  
  
  
  
  
Ghost watched him, and then offered resignedly "I can go too." Neo brightened a little, and looked thankfully over at the shorter man.   
  
  
  
  
  
So much for a quiet night.   
  
*************  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Trinity pulled Ghost aside as they were leaving, before she split off towards the docks.   
  
  
  
  
  
"I know how these things go," she mumured into his ear, her body nearly touching his, and he had to suppress a shiver. "Make sure they don't give him much before I get there. He hasn't had time to build up a tolerance."   
  
  
  
  
  
Ghost nodded, and she strode off. Neo watched her go, picking nervously at the hem of his sweater.   
  
  
  
  
  
"Well!" Maggie said brightly, and took Neo's arm, guiding him gently toward the elevator as he didn't seem to be able to move on his own. "We don't want to keep Sparks waiting, now do we?"   
  
  
  
  
  
Neo swallowed hard as the elevator doors slid shut, effectively sealing his fate.   
  
  
  
***********************   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Exhausted from haggling with the technicians for over two hours, Trinity slumped into the elevator, and hit the button for 124th floor. The techs kept telling her they needed three days, even with the help from the crew of the Neb. Morpheus wanted it done in two days,   
  
  
  
max. She'd finally managed to bribe a few of them with liquor she had from Switch's old store that she'd never had the heart to drink, but neither to throw away.   
  
  
  
  
  
God, she hated elevators. That was what she hated about Zion. The endless elevator rides.   
  
  
  
She hadn't hated elevator rides in the Matrix, but here in Zion, they could be fifteen minutes long if you caught them on a slow day. Trinity hated wasting time.   
  
  
  
  
  
But the stairs in Zion were impossible, and in terrible shape, because no one ever used them. Why should the Council keep them up? Besides, 124 flights straight up was even too much for her.   
  
  
  
  
  
The slow blinking lights finally proclaimed 124, and the doors slid open with a tired chime.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
********************   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
The wheel squealed loudly as Trinity pushed open the door, and stepped carefully over the theshold, into Sparks's small Zion apartment. She nearly choked on the cloud of acrid smoke, and her eyes began to water a little. "Jesus," she muttered.   
  
  
  
  
  
The crew of the Hammer, minus their captain, was there at a small rusty table, along with Sparks, who appeared to be wearing a lampshade as a hat. Maggie was in AK's lap, squinting blearily at her hand of cards. Colt and Mauser were passing a burned down cigar between them, and there were empty glasses strewn everywhere.   
  
  
  
  
  
She felt a hand on her elbow, and turned to see Ghost, looking serious and a little sheepish.   
  
  
  
  
  
"Um, Trinity, there's a slight problem...."   
  
  
  
  
  
"Trinity!" Sparks slurred, gesturing wildly. "Great to see ya! Come take a seat!" He turned sideways, and nudged the man next to him. "Hey Boy Wonder, look alive. Batgirl's finally here."   
  
  
  
  
  
It was then that Trinity noticed the dark head resting on the table.   
  
  
  
  
  
"Oh, you've got to be kidding me." She was next to him instantly, and shook his shoulder gently. "Neo?"   
  
  
  
  
  
He groaned, and lifted his forehead of the table. "Trin?" She nodded, and rubbed his back.   
  
  
  
  
  
His forehead dropped down again. "I think I'm going to die," he muttered into the cold metal.   
  
  
  
  
  
She turned to Ghost, and he lifted his hands in defense. "I had to go to the bathroom, and I asked Maggie to watch him. I came back, and he was like this." Maggie giggled, and hiccuped.   
  
  
  
  
  
"Sorry, Trinity. It's all Sparks's fault. Two pair," as she slapped her cards down onto the table.   
  
  
  
  
  
"How much has he had?" Maggie shrugged. Trinity turned to Sparks. "How much did you give him?" Sparks laughed.   
  
  
  
  
  
"Jesus Trinity, he's only had three. Not my fault your boy can't hold his liquor."   
  
  
  
  
  
Trinity pressed hard on the bridge of her nose, trying to push back the pressure building between her temples. "You gave him THREE glasses of that shit? Sparks, he's only been awake a month!"   
  
  
  
  
  
Sparks rolled his eyes at her, and dealt again. "You're just pissed you're not getting laid tonight," he muttered under his breath.   
  
  
  
  
  
She shook her head. "I swear, Sparks, if I spend the night in the hospital ward getting his stomach pumped, I'm throwing you over a guard rail."   
  
  
  
  
  
Maggie chuckled. "Just make sure his breathing stays regular. As long as he's awake, he should be okay. But you're not gonna be able to get him home for quite a while." Trinity sighed heavily, and pulled a stool up to the table. She sat down heavily next to Neo, who groaned a little, and she took his hand.   
  
  
  
  
  
"You want me to deal you in?"   
  
  
  
  
  
Trinity shrugged. Why not?   
  
  
  
  
  
It was going to be a long night.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
************************   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Two hours later, Sparks was even more intoxicated than before, and had decided that they should play strip poker. "It'll give us boys a chance to see what we're missing," as he leered drunkenly at Trinity.   
  
  
  
  
  
She sighed, and glared at him over her cards. "I won't punch you because you're drunk."   
  
  
  
  
  
Neo shifted closer to her, and lifted his head off his hands. "I'd punch him if I wasn't drunk," he mumured into her ear, and then bent back over. She patted his thigh sympathetically.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
***************   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"No fucking way." Colt stared in disbelief at the cards on the table. "No fucking way."   
  
  
  
  
  
Trinity grinned, and the smile was predatory. "Take 'em off."   
  
  
  
  
  
Grimacing, Colt kicked off his pants. He sat, shivering, and shook his head at the other men around the table, all similarly attired. "I don't fucking believe it. She hasn't even lost her BOOTS, for God's sake."   
  
  
  
  
  
Trinity smirked. Ghost, leaning against the wall, smiled a little too. "I told you all it was a bad idea to play her."   
  
  
  
  
  
Trinity thumped Sparks on the shoulder, and the lampshade on his head swayed a little as he scowled, for once with nothing to say. "It's okay, Ghost. They just got what was coming to them." She stood, and stretched. "I think I'm done for the night. Can you stand up?"   
  
  
  
  
  
Neo, who was now sitting crosslegged on the cold metal floor, nodded uncertainly. She gave him her arm, and heaved him up. He staggered, and leaned heavily on her. "Ughhhhh."   
  
  
  
  
  
She wrapped an arm around his waist, guided him around the table, and helped him step carefully over Maggie, who was dozing on the handwoven rug. "Night all."   
  
  
  
  
  
She closed the door behind them.   
  
  
  
  
  
Ak shook his head slowly. Colt, Mauser and Sparks stared blankly at the center of the table.   
  
  
  
"My ass is freezing," Sparks muttered, and he retrieved his pants from the floor.   
  
  
  
"Jesus," AK breathed, and Sparks looked up quizzically. "What a woman."   
  
  
  
  
  
-fin 


End file.
